As the digital landscape in the Philippines continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the importance of strong cybersecurity measures has never been more imperative. With the recent issuance of the National Cybersecurity Plan 2023-2028 (NCSP), it shows that the country is taking extra measures to protect Filipinos from cybercrimes.
NCSP seeks to build a resilient and secure digital ecosystem in the Philippines through collaboration, capacity building, and strategic initiatives aimed at fighting cyber threats.
In light of its issuance, industry leaders and stakeholders, including cybersecurity experts like Kaspersky, offer valuable insights into the implications of the NCSP and its potential impact on the future of cybersecurity in the Philippines.
Genie Sugene Gan, Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy for Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East, Türkiye and Africa Regions at Kaspersky, emphasized that the issuance of the NCSP is a crucial step by the Philippine government in safeguarding Filipinos from cybercrimes. Additionally, it aims to equip national government agencies and local government units with the necessary tools to protect their jurisdiction effectively.
“Moving forward, cybercrimes will undoubtedly become more sophisticated, and cybercriminals will relentlessly hunt for new victims. It is imperative that the nation and its citizens are equipped to face these challenges head-on, ensuring their safety and security in the digital world,” Gan said.
Gan emphasized that given that cyberattacks not only inflict economic damage but also have profound emotional repercussions for society, it is imperative that the policy direction and operational guidelines under NCSP are implemented.
“NCSP provides a strategic framework for addressing cyber threats comprehensively and ensuring the resilience of our digital infrastructure, and we’re optimistic about its effective implementation,” she added.
Kaspersky has been at the forefront of raising awareness about cybercrimes and empowering individuals and organizations to protect themselves. Besides using strong cybersecurity tools, another good way to stay safe online is by doing a few things yourself. This includes changing your passwords regularly and keeping up-to-date on the latest cybersecurity news. By doing these things, you can make it harder for cybercriminals to target you and lower the chance of getting attacked online.
Over the years, Kaspersky has also established successful partnerships with government and law enforcement agencies worldwide including INTERPOL.
From September to December 2023, Kaspersky has delivered a Kaspersky Expert Training series to INTERPOL law enforcement officers, unfolding new advanced threat detection and mitigation strategies for cybersecurity researchers. Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) and CERT experts have provided the agency’s staff with training on reverse engineering and incident response.
The most recent example of Kaspersky’s mutual cooperation with government agencies in Southeast Asia is the memorandum of agreement signed between Kaspersky and the National Cyber Security Agency of Thailand (NCSA) just last April. This collaboration aims to enhance Thailand’s cybersecurity capabilities.
Kaspersky also conducts online Cyber Capacity Building Program, which teaches companies, government, academia certain to enhance security of their ICT infrastructure.
